10 February, 2021After more than a year of negotiations, Italian metalworker unions successfully renewed their national collective agreement on 5 February. The agreement covers around 1.6 million workers.
IndustriALL Global Union Italian affiliates FIOM-CGIL, FIM-CISL and UIL-UILM have concluded negotiations of a national collective agreement with significant results. An overall average salary increase of €112 (US$135) will be divided over four occasions during the agreement, which is valid from January 2021 until June 2024.
“With this renewed agreement we want to defeat an unprecedented crisis through the salary increase of €112, plus protection and guarantees for many workers,”
says Rocco Palombella, UIL-UILM general secretary.
In addition to the increase, the agreement also includes a €12 (US$14) increase based on inflation for the minimum wage from June 2020. Other increases include €200 (US$242) per year of flexible benefits, as well as an increase of the employer’s contributions to the supplementary pension fund by 2.2 per cent from 2022 for young workers under 35.
A main achievement of the agreement is reforming the system of job classification, in place since 1973.
Francesca Re David, FIOM-CGIL general secretary, says:
“The agreement strengthens the legislation regarding trade union relations, information and participation rights, the right to training, the issue of health and safety and the fight against gender-based violence”.
The unions also managed to strengthen the industrial relations part of the agreement, and as a result, employment rights will be better protected. Workers will also enjoy improved rights for information, discussion, participation and training.
The new agreement will better protect workers’ individual rights, and the wording on gender-based violence and smart working including workers’ right to disconnect in off-office hours have significantly improved.
In addition, the clause on obligation to maintain the employment when the company concludes public procurement contracts will be introduced.
Roberto Benaglia, FIM-CISL general secretary, says:
”It was a very difficult agreement to negotiate, perhaps one of the most difficult in recent decades, with the pandemic, an economic and social crisis to which we now add a political one.”
In the coming weeks, the agreement will be presented to workers in the country to vote on it.
Valter Sanches, IndustriALL general secretary, says:
“I congratulate our three affiliates FIM/CISL, FIOM/CGIL and UILM for the important achievement in very challenging times. It is certainly an inspiration for us all, not only because of the positive economic aspects but also because of the unity among the unions making this victory possible.”